The Key
by vonnie836
Summary: A trip to Germany spells trouble for the team


The Key

Summary: A trip to a German castle spells danger for the team.

Rated PG.

Disclaimer: The Adventure inc. team does not belong to me. This story is just for entertainment and no money was made with it. The character of Wolf von Bernstein belongs to me.

The room was dark with the exception of a dim light over the bed. Muffled noises came from the hall outside the door. But that wasn't what woke her up. After three nights in the hospital Mackenzie Previn was getting used to the noises and being disturbed by a nurse every few hours. It also wasn't pain that bothered her. The head wound was sutured and healing and the soreness in her back was controlled by the pain medication. 

No, what wouldn't let her sleep was the emptiness and desperation caused by the knowledge that her two best friends were gone. The thought made tears sting in her eyes again, tears that she just couldn't, wouldn't shed. It was unbelievable just couldn't be true and yet she knew it was. She had been there, had seen with her own eyes how Judson and Gabe died.

How had this happened? Mac's mind wandered back to three weeks ago.

+++++

The Vast Explorer had anchored in a little harbor on the south coast of Sicily. They had just come back from a salvage expedition in the south western Mediterranean. It had been a success and Judson had decided to take a few days off to relax. The little Sicilian town seemed idyllic and just perfect for it. It had friendly people, great food and lots of sun and especially - no tourists.

Mac was sitting on deck with a magazine, enjoying the sun while Gabe was below working on the engine.

"Hey grease monkey", she called for him, "why don't you take a break and relax!"

"I will as soon as I get this done!"

Mac closed her eyes and must have fallen asleep because she didn't hear when Gabe came up behind her about 10 minutes later. She awoke with a startle when two greasy hands touched her cheeks.

"Now let's see who the grease monkey is!" Gabe ran away to a safe distance.

"Oh you, just wait, I'll get you for this!" she threw the magazine after him. 

Gabe disappeared below again, this time to take a shower. When Mac turned around she found Judson standing there with a big grin on his face. 

"Hey, did you get in a fight with the engine?" he laughed.

Mac had to laugh herself now, she knew when she was beat.

Judson then got more serious; "I just got an offer that I think we shouldn't refuse. I want to wait for Gabe, than I tell you both about it."

After 30 minutes Gabe came back on deck, his hair still wet and curly.

"Hey Judson, didn't know you were already back!"

"I told Mac, I needed to talk to both of you. I met this guy in town, his name is Wolf von Bernstein, and his family owns some old castle in the southern part of Germany. His father was a friend of Professor Stone's, one of my college professors. Well, he told me this fantastic story!"

Judson stopped for a moment to see the reaction of his friends. A smile appeared on his face, their faces told him, he had already won them over before they even knew the whole story. Then he continued.

His father died about a month ago. After the funeral their lawyer gave him a letter from his father. It contained a safe combination and an address here in town. He said he came here a few days ago just to find out his father had owned a house here that nobody ever knew about. He also found the safe and opened it."

Here he stops again, just to get a kick from Mac, "Okay, go on, what happened?"

"Well he found another letter, telling him, that there is a secret room somewhere in the family castle."

"And?" Gabe interrupts him, "What's in there?"

"Something called 'the key'. Wolf isn't really sure what it means, the letter just talks about some ancient family secret!"

"Wow, what are we waiting for, when are we leaving?" Now Gabe seems to burst with excitement.

Mac and Judson smile at each other. 

"Calm down before you explode!" Mac laughed, then she turned to Judson again, "But really, when are we leaving?"

"Wolf is leaving tomorrow, he expects us there in about a week, until than we can relax and enjoy the sun!" 

Judson smiles, knowing his friends; they are much too excited to relax.

++++++

One week later they landed at Munich International Airport. Mac and Judson went to pick up the luggage. Gabe had insisted to rent the car and meet them at the north entrance.

Soon it became clear why Gabe had been so insistent. He had rented a Porsche 911 and was flying down the 'Autobahn'. The speedometer said 190 km/h.  Judson had to smile; too much was he reminded of another young man doing the same thing several years earlier. Still, he couldn't help but tease Gabe.

"Hey Captain, I think there is something wrong with your plane, we are still not quite airborne!"

Gabe just gave him a big grin that made his dark eyes sparkle but didn't say anything. It was Mac who responded.

"These kids, they just can't help it, always have to scare the shit out of us!"

When Judson glanced at her, he could see that she had just as much fun as Gabe was, so he just leaned back and enjoyed the ride.

The further North they got the more the area changed. By the time they left the Autobahn, they were surrounded by rugged hills covered with forest. The roads became narrower and curvier. And they passed through many small villages.

After two hours they finally had reached their destination. Schloss Winterhof, the residence of the von Bernstein family had several parts. The newer was a plain grey stucco building. The older part was built from rugged rocks and made up off several smaller buildings and two towers all surrounded by a high wall. Vines were growing up the towers, one of which was almost in ruins. Built on top of a hill, surrounded by tall trees the gold of the sinking sun gave the castle a surreal look.

The team stood for a moment, each of them imagining stories of ancient knights and fair maidens and legends of lost treasures. They were interrupted when their host came out to greet them.

++++++

The first week of their stay found them busy trying to recreate the family history of the von Bernstein's and to find the original building plans for the castle. Wolf von Bernstein had told them that his grandfather had been an opponent of the Hitler regime before and during WWII. For a while the family had to flee the country and go into exile in Switzerland in order to survive. The castle had been taken over by the SS and plundered. After the war, the family had recovered some of the belongings but not everything.

Mac started at the local library while Gabe spent most of his time on the computer surfing the net for information. Judson and Wolf had taken to search the castle attic and basement. At the end of the week they decided to take inventory of their discoveries.

Mac had found an old book in the library basement. It was over one hundred years old and contained at least some of the building plans for the castle. The plans weren't always clear; it looked like they had been hand copied before being reprinted for the book.

Judson and Wolf had found some documents from the earliest history of the castle. It had been built in the 12th century. The first owner was Ottmar von Bernstein, a rough knight to whom it didn't matter how he made his fortune. He had beaten his servants and slaughtered the villagers. The farmers had to pay tribute so high, it left them only the bare necessities and sometimes not even that.

It was Gabe who had made the most astonishing discovery. Over the next few centuries the owners became more civilized and lenient. During the 16th century they became supporters of Martin Luther's Reformation, which by itself was unusual. Even today this area of the country was mostly catholic. There had been a conflict between the two churches that lasted from 1618 to 1648 and was called the 'Thirty Year War'. During that time the family had hidden Lutherans from their Catholic enemies. 

"This is probably were the hidden room came in!" Gabe ended his report.

"Did you find anything about its location?" Mac questioned.

"Nothing, also there is no indication what 'the key' could be!"

Judson thought for a moment, than he took over the lead.

"Okay, let's look at the plans and then go through every corner of the castle!"

Somehow he had the feeling it would be a long search.

++++++

For the next few days they searched every square inch the old and newer part of the castle and even the surrounding area.  The old part had a dungeon that was cold and very dark. Only very little sunlight came in through some slits in the upper part of the wall.  Water was running down one side and they could see hooks in the rock where prisoners once had been chained. The feeling was eerie, even after all these centuries the spirits of tortured prisoners seemed to be present. The team just stood there for a moment the desperate screams of the victims shouting in their ears.

Later they made their way up to a large open room only sparsely furnished with a huge table and countless wooden chairs. Wolf explained that this had been were during medieval times all the social events had taken place. This was what made Gabe jump into action. Bowing in front of Mac, he stretched out his hand toward her.

"Fair maiden, may I have the honor of this dance?"

Graciously Mac placed her hand on top of his and he led her around the room in some imaginary medieval dance. When he finally guided her back to where the others stood, she gave him her sweetest smile.

"Oh dearest Baron, me thinkest my father would not approve of thy stepping on his only daughters tender feet!"

This caused the Judson and Wolf to break into laughter. 

Three days later they still came up empty. It seemed like there was nowhere else to look.  Wolf from Bernstein was getting very discouraged and was ready to give up but the team was used to this. Judson told him this was not unusual and to hang in there.

Gabe scanned the plans into the computer and enhanced them. Together they looked at them again. It was Mac that finally pointed some discrepancies out.

"Look at this, the lines for the walls on the left tower are smeared. It looks almost like someone corrected them. Do you think we might have something here?"

"I think you are right," Judson agreed. "It would be worth checking it out!"

Together they made their way back to the tower. It was the one that was almost in ruins.  It was build into the rock. Wolf told them that they assumed there were some caves underneath but there was no access from the tower to them. The team started to probe the walls for any changes. Judson finally found an area where the mortar between the stones had a slightly different texture than the rest. With his knife he started to scratch on it and found that it started to crumble.

It took them several hours to remove enough to take some of the stone blocks out. They found that the blocks weren't as thick as the rest and there was a heavy iron door behind them. Wolf von Bernstein was anxious to continue to work on it but Judson stopped him. 

"It is almost 10 pm. I think we are better off to stop now and come back tomorrow. We all need to get some rest and tomorrow we have all day!"

Reluctantly the rest agreed and they went back to the main building. 

++++++

Sleep didn't come easy to most of them. Wolf von Bernstein roamed the halls of his ancestor's home like a restless spirit trying to find relief from his tortures.

Mac was lying in her bed and tried to read some magazines. From time to time she turned the light off to finally go to sleep just to turn it back on and continue to read.  Actually she was more starring at them then reading, her mind going off to the upcoming day and what it would bring.

Gabe also couldn't find any rest. He didn't even attempt to get undressed and lie down. Sitting at the computer, he tried to find some more information on the castle.

Judson was the only one who was able to go to sleep. Years of experienced had taught him how to relax even when the expectation within him was growing. 

++++++

The next morning found them up early. They met in the kitchen, trying to get some breakfast before going back to the tower. Wolf had already prepared coffee and the bread was in the toaster. After pouring himself a cup of coffee, Judson looked around noting that the only one missing was Gabe. 

"Hey, where is junior?" he questioned.

"I haven't seen him yet, maybe he overslept?" Mac responded. "I think, I'll check on him."

She got up and went back upstairs to Gabe's room. After not getting a response to several knocks, she tried the door and found it unlocked. Quietly she entered the room and smiled. Gabe had fallen asleep while still sitting in front of the computer. His head was resting on the keyboard.

Judson, who had followed her picked in from behind her. He also smiled.

"Poor kid, I bet he is going to be sore after sleeping like this!"

Mac went over to him and gently tapped his shoulder causing him to stir. She tried it again, now softly calling out, "Wake up Gabe, it's time to go treasure hunting!"

He lifted his head and stretched. Mac and Judson could see the imprints from the key board on the left side of his face. 

"Nice decoration, didn't know you go for 'tattoo in the middle of the face' kinda thing!" Mac teased him. 

Gabe just gave her a questioning look.

"Give him a break Mac," Judson waved her off, "He is not quite awake yet." 

Then he turned to Gabe, "Why don't you get a shower and then come down for some breakfast, so we can get started!"

+++++

45 minutes later they finally were back in the tower. With the tools they had brought they removed the rest of blocks obstructing the way to the iron door. By noon they finally took the last one out. Now they just had to get the door open. This proved to be a difficult undertaking, it just wouldn't budge. There was no handle or lock. 

"Let's check the surrounding wall for some kind of mechanism!" Judson suggested, "It gotta open somehow."

They checked every inch of the wall. Judson finally found a very small brick that was movable. When he pushed on it, the door sprang open. While the others held their breath, he slowly pulled it all the way open.

Initially they couldn't see anything except of blackness. Then the beam of Judson's flashlight lined out a small room that was unfurnished. Wolf was the first to enter, the others followed closely. They looked around, disappointed by the emptiness. 

"This must be where my ancestors hid the Lutherans from their enemies during the 30 Year War."

Judson agreed, "They probably covered the door later to keep it secret and maybe reuse it later."

"But what about 'the key', which supposedly is hidden in here?" Mac questioned.

Gabe was already busy checking the wall for another mechanism or secret door. Before the others could assist him he had found a small opening between two blocks. As he pushed his hand into it a wooden door opened in the ground. It had been covered with dirt and this why they hadn't noticed it. It revealed an opening that contained a large metal box.

Judson and Wolf lifted the box up and opened it. It contained something covered by an oil cloth. 

Wolf nodded at Gabe, "Go ahead, open it, you discovered it!"

The others could see that Gabe's hands were shaking with excitement as he lifted the cloth. It revealed a large leather covered book which was obviously very old. Carefully he opened the cover. Hand written on the first page was something in German.

Wolf von Bernstein took a deep breath, then he read"

"Der Schluessel zum Himmelreich ist Gottes Wort – Martin Luther."

Before he had time to translate Gabe took over.

 "The Key to Heaven is God's Word. Wow, the key is obviously a handwritten bible translation."

For a moment there was absolute quiet in the room while everybody tried to realize what the discovery of such a treasure meant. Wolf was the first one to speak pour excitement was coloring his voice.

Okay, just stay here, I need to get my camera." He ran out of the room followed by Mac who decided he probably needed more light to take a picture than there was in the room. 

While running through the doorway, he brushed against a lever on the inside. The next thing Mac heard was the deafening noise of the ceiling coming down. She felt something hit her back and saw Wolf reach for her, pulling her through the door. Pulling herself from his grip she turned around. All she could see was dust and falling rock. 

"Judson, Gabe!" she screamed out in desperation, trying to get back in the room. At the same time she felt a sharp pain in her head and started to spiral into a world of endless blackness.

+++++++

It was still dark but slowly the clouds lifted and Mac opened her eyes. The headache hit her at the same time. She closed her eyes again and relaxed for a minute before carefully opening them again. Her head still throbbed but it was more bearable now. Looking around she found herself in a hospital room. Wolf von Bernstein was positioned on a chair beside the bed. Noting that her eyes were open, he put the magazine he had been reading aside and gave her a concerned look.

"How are you doing?"

It hit Mac like lightning; "Where are Judson and Gabe?"

She tried to sit up but found that the pain in her back didn't allow it.

Wolf pushed her back onto the pillow, then said, "Just lie still, you got some pretty bad bruising in your back but the doc said you got lucky, nothing vital got injured, no muscles torn."

He could see the look in her eyes and reluctantly he continued, "They never made it out of the room Mac!"

"Then we gotta go back and find them."

Again she tried to get up with the same result as before. For a moment it was quiet in the room. Mac looked at Wolf. What she saw in his eyes made her afraid to continue. When she finally spoke up, it cost her all her strength.

"They are dead, aren't they?"

It was more a statement than a question. Wolf just nodded.

"You been out for six hours, we started a rescue team right away but the room is full with rocks. The whole ceiling came down and part of the inside wall. There are no pockets anywhere. They are still clearing some of the debris but it doesn't look good at all."

Mac swallowed hart, then she turned her head away.

"Would you please leave me alone for a while?" she requested with a whisper.

"Sure!" Wolf von Bernstein nodded understandingly and left the room without another word.

+++++

It was difficult for Mac to digest the thought that her two best friends might be gone. She was not ready yet to abandon hope.

 Tears where running down her face as she silently sent a prayer to heaven; "God, if you are up there, don't let it be true, you can't just leave me here without them, it's just not fair!"

Her head was still pounding, she could feel the bandage on the left side of her forehead and her back felt like she was lying on rocks. Anger about her helplessness crept its way up in her, replacing the desperation. If she just could go out there and find her friends.

"Darn it, why can't I get out of this bed!"

She quieted down when the door opened and a nurse came in. She smiled at Mac.

"The doctor ordered something for pain so you can get some rest Miss Previn!" she said, while she injected the medication into the IV line. 

Mac was almost thankful when the medication kicked in and carried her into a dreamless sleep.

+++++

Wolf von Bernstein returned to the hospital early the next day. He found Mac with her breakfast in front of her. She hadn't touched it, hadn't even looked at it. When she saw him enter the room, her eyes showed expectation. Yet only for a moment, then she noted the sadness in his face.

"I'm sorry; they continued to work all night. About an hour ago they confirmed that everything was solid. There is no more hope to find them alive!"

"So what now?" The question seemed more a thought than an actual question.

"It will take several weeks to get everything cleaned up. First they wanted to leave it but I insisted I want you to be able to take your friends home and give them a decent burial!"

+++++

Mac's thoughts came back into the present. She still felt like this all was just a dream. Yet the pain in her back and head told her it was real. For the first time in her life she realized that there was absolutely nothing she could do to change the situation. The desperation that this thought gave her was almost more than she could deal with but she still had a purpose. She would not leave until she could at least take Judson and Gabe's bodies with her.

+++++

Three days earlier- 

As soon as the ceiling started to come down on them, Judson and Gabe felt the floor give out underneath them. They felt themselves falling for what seemed forever but actually were just split seconds. Judson never was aware of the landing, as his forehead got hit by some debris and he lost consciousness.

 Gabe on the other hand felt himself thrown onto a small ledge and before he could do anything about it going of it again. His body rolled down what seemed like a very steep hill and finally came to a halt. Dust and rock still raining down on him he had difficulty to catch his breath. He was aware of some debris hitting him but for some reason didn't experience any pain. Throughout the whole ordeal he had never let go of the book. His arms where wrapped around it, cradling it against his body. Now as his mind started to float, it appeared to him like there was a glow coming from it. And as he passed out he held it even closer than before.

+++++

The coldness hit Judson like a hammer and drew him out of the save haven of unconsciousness. Becoming more aware of his surroundings, he realized his upper body was lying face up on soft sand while his legs were still in water. He could feel sticky wetness running down the side of his face. It was dark above him but there seemed to be some kind of light source behind him that gave a soft glow off. Slowly he moved all his limps, making sure nothing was broken, then he turned around. Regretting the move instantly, he gasped and laid still for a moment. Obviously he had bruised, maybe even fractured some ribs and the headache and dizziness told him he also very likely had a concussion.

After a few minutes he tried it again, this time more carefully. He finally succeeded in getting to his knees. Checking out his surrounding he realized he had landed in some kind of cave with a small lake. He must have fallen in the water and then drifted onto land. This very likely had saved his life.

Looking further around he could now see where the light came from. Gabe was lying on the ground obviously out cold. His body was surrounded by a soft light that came from the book he still clasped in his arms.

Judson tried to stand up but found the dizziness too overwhelming. He decided to stick with crawling. Slowly he made his way over to his friend. He now could see the large block crushing his left leg, a puddle of blood flowing out from underneath it. His right leg had an unnatural angle to it. Seeing the amount of blood he took his belt off and wrapped it around Gabe's thigh. This would have to do until he could remove the block. Gabe moaned but didn't open his eyes. Judson took the opportunity to check the rest of him out. He found only minor bruising and superficial lacerations with the exception of a cut on the left side of his head that would need some stitches.

Taking a deep breath he allowed himself to take a closer look at the light coming from the book. He could find nothing that would explain it. He than attempted to move the block from Gabe's leg. He found it too heavy to lift, and even rolling it off proved difficult due to the injuries to his ribs. It took him several attempts and breaks until he finally managed. The damage to the leg scared him. The pant leg was ripped all the way up to the knee, leaving a free view to a long deep laceration and several bone fragments very likely from the crushed shinbone. 

With his cloths still wet Judson had no other choice than to take Gabe's shirt off. He tore it in strips and used part of it to wrap around the leg. After tightening his makeshift bandage he removed the belt from Gabe's thigh. At least for now it seemed to have stopped the bleeding. He then decided to use his friend's unconsciousness to try to bring the other leg back in the right position. As he was doing so he could feel movement go through Gabe's body, working its way from his legs to his upper body and ending in a terrifying scream. At the same time he also could hear the bones snap into place. Relieved he bent over and put his arm underneath his head.

"It's okay, I'm all done!" he assured his friend.

Gabe's eyes fluttered and opened. Judson could see the recognition in them, then they closed and his body relaxed again.

+++++

Judson was exhausted and worried. For a while he sat quietly and watched his friend. He kept an eye on the makeshift bandage around his leg but couldn't see any fresh blood seep through. This eased his mind a little but he realized that it could start to hemorrhage again at any time. And there was the danger of infection. He also couldn't be sure that Gabe hadn't sustained any internal injuries. There were also his own problems. His cloths were soaked and the coolness of the cave made him shiver.  His ribs pained him enough to make deep breathing difficult to almost impossible.  And with every heartbeat he felt like there was a hammer inside his head beating against his eyes. The pain and pressure finally overwhelmed him and he let darkness claim him. 

The first thing the felt when he woke up was that he was no longer cold. His cloths had dried and a comfortable warmness surrounded him. He half expected to find a warm fire going but opening his eyes he realized that the warmth radiated from the book. It was now lying beside Gabe, still giving light and now also warmth. It almost was like the God whose word the book contained, had heard his unsaid prayer and provided comfort.

Judson had seen many things during his search for lost treasures but this was almost too surreal. He was not really a man of faith, having learned to depend on mostly himself and maybe a few selected friends but his adventures had taught him expect the unexpected.

His eyes now wandered over to Gabe. He noted that his eyes where open and watching him.

"Hey kid, how are you feeling?"

"Felt better but I shouldn't complain. I have been watching you for the last half hour or so, couldn't move but saw you stir from time to time; otherwise I would have waked you." Gabe took a deep breath, feeling like exhausted from his short speech.

Judson smiled, "You should have, how is the pain?"

"Okay!" was the only reply he got but looking in his face, Judson could see that this wasn't quite the truth.

"I get us some water!" he said, than made his way over to the small lake.

 This time he was able to get up and walk also the pain in his ribs almost took his breath away. He kneeled by the water and drank using his hands as a cup. Realizing that he couldn't get water to Gabe this way, he thought for a moment. Then he took his shirt off and tore one sleeve out. After rinsing it a few times he tied a knot in one end and filled it with water.

By the time Judson returned to his friend's side half the water had run out but there was still enough left. Gabe gave him a thankful smile and drank it greedily. He then tried to move and instantly regretted his action. A gasp of pain came over his lips.

"Easy, Partner!" Judson tried to sooth him by stroking over his hair. He explained the injuries he had suffered and added, "I was able to stop the bleeding and set your right leg, I'm sure you will be alright!"

He then turned away to not let his friend see the doubt in his face.

++++++

Time went by slowly. Judson had hoping for a quick rescue but the longer he waited the more he realized that this wouldn't happen. They had enough water and the warmth radiating from the book gave them protection from the damp coolness of the cave. But there was the question of food. He had found four cereal bars stuffed into Gabe's shirt pocket. It had made him smile. The kid was always hungry. He split one in half and they shared it with some more water. It wasn't much but under the circumstances better than nothing.

Before Judson made himself comfortable for the night he checked on Gabe's wound's again. Than he rolled his shirt up and stuffed it under his friends head.

"Here you go, try to get some sleep and call me if you need anything!"

"Yes daddy!" Gabe gave him a grin before he closed his eyes.

Judson also tried to get comfortable, using his arm as a head rest. It wasn't easy with his ribs being sore but he finally managed.

Before he went to sleep he said a silent prayer, "Well God, if it is really you who provides the light and the warmth maybe you can get us out of this mess?"

+++++

Judson woke up with a start. He hadn't expected to get much sleep but looking at his watch he realized it was already 8 AM. He now became conscious of the noise that had originally roused him up. It was a groan that came from Gabe's direction.

 Worried he went to his friend's side. His eyes were still closed and his face was reddened and beads of sweat were building on his forehead, heat was radiating from his body. One look at his leg told him that sometimes during the night the wound had started to bleed again. The bandage was soaked. 

Judson tore some more of Gabe's shirt apart and moistened some of it with water. Gently he shook his friend's shoulder until he got a response.

"Gabe, I gotta change your bandage and I know it probably will hurt like hell but I don't have a choice!"

Gabe nodded, "Just do it!"

The blood on the old bandage was still fresh and didn't stick to the wound yet. After removing it Judson took a close look at the injured leg. It was swollen and discolored. The intact parts of skin felt hot. He could tell from the appearance of the wound that infection was starting to set in. Very carefully he started to clean it with the wet cloth, then rewrapped it. 

Gabe tried to be quiet throughout the procedure but couldn't suppress an occasional moan. He bit his lip, knowing his friend was just trying to help him. 

When Judson finished he went to get more water and let Gabe drink. He took another cloth and wiped his face to cool him down, than he watched him slip back into a restless sleep.

Slowly Judson ate one half of a cereal bar, saving the other half for when his friend would wake up.

"Mac, where are you?" his thoughts wandered to his other friend and for the first time he considered that she might not have survived.

++++++

It was several hours before Gabe awoke. Judson gave him some more water and then handed him the half cereal bar. He was satisfied that the fever seemed to have come down at least for the moment. But he also worried what would happen if it returned.

For some strange reason it seemed like their roles had been reversed. Judson felt restless and almost helpless. He just couldn't shake the feeling that this time they wouldn't be found. It was Gabe who was calm and seemed to be full of optimism and in control even though the pain in his legs was clearly written on his face. 

"I know you think we won't make it out of here!" he stated.

Judson gave him a shocked look. He had thought he hid his fear well but somehow the kid had picked up on it.

"I know we will be okay!" Gabe continued. "Don't ask me how I know, I just do! I think it has something to do with the book. It is almost like it speaks to me."

He reached out and let his hand brush over the cover. Judson watched him still in awe. Things were getting weirder by the minute. He knew he should be the one to comfort his younger friend, yet here he was the one receiving the comfort. He took a deep breath which reminded him instantly of his own injury. 

"Why don't you just lie down and relax for a while?" Gabe suggested, "You don't have to watch me all the time, I'm fine!"

Still void of words Judson followed the suggestion and made himself as comfortable as possible. He still wasn't sure what to make of the situation.

+++++

The day went by without any problems. Gabe's temperature stayed down and Judson's pain was bearable as long as he remembered not to breath deep. Toward evening they shared another cereal bar. Judson rechecked the bandage. Finding no new blood or drainage he decided to leave it alone.

They talked for a while and again it was Gabe who assured his friend that help was on its way. His quiet confidence finally eased Judson's mind enough to allow him to go to sleep. It wasn't long so before he woke up again. Looking over to the younger man he saw the even rise and fall of his chest. His features were relaxed indicating that he was not in any pain at the moment.

Judson allowed his thoughts to wander back to the events of the previous day. And again it seemed like desperation and darkness instantly grabbed hold of him. He felt like being pulled into a dark hole. It was a feeling that he never before experienced. It drew him in deeper and deeper and he didn't seem to have the strength to pull himself back up. His salvation finally came when His salvation came when his eyes fell upon the radiant light of the book. It also seemed to draw him in. He couldn't resist but move toward it. Carefully he picked it up and opened it.

It seemed his eyes were drawn to only one verse,

'God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.'

The instant he read it, he knew why it stood out. The book was in German but yet this one verse was clearly written in English. Squinting, he tried to read again but now he found the words were no longer in his language. For a moment he considered imagining things. Yet he also realized that his knowledge of any part of the bible was too limited to remember any part of it. It hadn't really even touched one since his childhood. 

"God is light, and in him is no darkness at all." He was stirred out of his thoughts by Gabe's voice, "You found it didn't you?"

"Yes, but I don't understand!"

"Judson, you were the one that once told me, there are things in this world that we can't understand. Sometimes we just have to trust!"

Judson looked at his friend. He was still laying on the ground, in pain, his legs still broken and by the looks of it his fever was coming back. Yet there was something written in his face that went far beyond hope, it was knowledge.

"You are right, there has to be a reason why we are not dead yet!"

+++++

Towards noon Judson split the last cereal bar and they shared their spares meal. The conversation from the night before had changed his outlook and brought the old Judson back to light. His head continued to hurt and his breathing wasn't getting better either but his attitude was new. No longer was there a question about Mac's survival in his mind. He was certain she was alive and all his hope was centered on it. He knew his friend would come for them.

The strange thing was the more his hope grew the more Gabe seemed to fade. His fever started to rise again and Judson saw him more than once crunch his teeth and suppress a moan. He finally decided it was time to change the bandage once again. What he found was not very encouraging. The infection had spread and his whole lower leg was of any angry red coloration. The intact skin was taunt and hot. The wound itself was filled with thick purulent drainage.

Judson went over to the lake and soaked the leftover strips of what had been Gabe's shirt. Then he rinsed and cleansed the wound as well as possible. He repeated the process several times before wrapping the wet strips loosely around the leg. 

Knowing his friend was just trying to help, Gabe tried to be quiet throughout the procedure. Yet he couldn't help letting out a suppressed cry from time to time. Judson tried to be gently yet fast but by the time he finished, the pain had taken a toll on Gabe. His eyes became cloudy and he slipped into unconsciousness.

Judson leaned back, not having allowed his own pain to take over; it hit him with even more power now. His chest was on fire with every breath he drew. Darkness tried to overtake him and he had to fight hart to not give in to it. He was finally able to slow his breathing and gain control over the pain. He knew he had to stay awake and take care of his younger partner. 

+++++

For the rest of the day Judson tried to keep Gabe's wound as clean as possible. He rewet the shirt strips frequently, trying to cool the leg and reduce the swelling. He watched his friend drift in and out of consciousness, his temperature rising until his body felt like it was burning up. 

From time to time he attempted to get some water into the younger man but with little success. He finally wet another strip of cloth and let the water drip into his mouth. This seemed to work, Gabe started to swallow. After repeating this for a while he was satisfied with the amount of water he gotten into his friend. He then wiped the sweat of his face and placed a wet cloth on his forehead.

Gabe woke up several times but didn't seem to recognize his friend. He would look around and then go back to sleep. Towards evening he seemed to get more restless. His eyes opened more frequently and he seemed to look for something. Being unable to find it, he finally cried out, his voice too weak to be more than a whisper and the words just a slur. Judson tried to calm him, yet with little success. Being afraid for his friend's life, he reached for the book and put it on Gabe's chest. To his amazement the agitation stopped instantly and he could see his body relax.  

At this point Judson knew his own body was not going to serve him any longer. Caring for Gabe had exhausted his last reserves. As he felt himself slip into unconsciousness it no longer felt like giving up, rather like giving up control to something or somebody else until they would be rescued.

+++++

The darkness in the room started to mix with the twilight coming in through the window. Mac was still sitting on her bed, lost in her thoughts. Tears were running down her cheeks. She didn't notice her early visitor until he started to talk to her.

"Mac!" Wolf from Bernstein touched her shoulder carefully, trying not to startle her. 

She looked at him, wiping her tears away with the back of her hand. Being strong just didn't seem to matter anymore. 

"Mac, you need to listen to me, I don't want to get your hopes up but I had a strange visit last night!" 

She took a deep breath, "Okay, what is going on?"

Wolf started to relay his story. "Around Midnight one of the villagers visited me. I really don't know him. His family has lived here forever but they never really had anything to do with my family, very proud and independent people. This made his visit so strange. He told me that for some reason that he couldn't explain, for the last two days he had the feeling he needed to talk to me. He was out of town for the last week and when he got back last night he heard about what had happened. This made his urge even stronger and he finally couldn't resist any longer!"

He took a deep breath before he continued. "What he told me is almost too good to be true. His family came to our village in 1639, hiding from the army of the Catholic Church. My ancestors hid them for several months and then helped them establish a new identity in the village, with this keeping them save. He showed me an old plan of the room we found and it clearly had an opening in the floor that leads to an underground cave."

He stopped there, letting Mac digest what she just had been told. He could see the excitement grow in her, her eyes started to light up and the look she gave him told him more than any words that he needed to continue.

"The plan also showed a tunnel to the outside and…"

This was when Mac interrupted him. "Okay, let's go and find it!" she said, while going over to the closet to get her cloth.

Wolf smiled, "We already found it, I got some people together and we started looking right away. We found the tunnel and followed it as far as we could. There is a blockage that they are trying to clear at this moment. I didn't want to tell you before I was sure!"

It didn't take Mac more than a few minutes to disappear into the bathroom and come back out fully dressed. She still was pulling her long dark hair back into a pony tail, securing it with a rubber band. Now she was fully in control, ready to go and not even the ache in her back was going to stop her.

"Let's go!" she nodded to Wolf, than walked out. 

One of the nurses tried to stop her "Miss Previn, you can't just leave, you have to wait for the doctor to release you, he will be here in a few hours."

Mac waved her off, "I don't have time for this but I promise to be back later and fill out all your paper work!"

She walked off without giving the nurse another look.

+++++

Wolf drove her to the entrance of the tunnel. It was on the south side of the hill below the castle. Mac didn't wait for the car to stop. She ran into the tunnel, leaving Wolf trying to follow her. When he finally did, he gently laid his hand on her shoulder.

"Mac, I know you want to get there but you have to understand that this doesn't mean they are still alive!"

Turning around to face him, she said' "I know, but it does mean I will be able to take them back. Judson and I have known each other since before I graduated high school. After we became a team, we have been in a lot of touch spots together. And even though Gabe just joined us a year ago, it seems he was always part of the team. They never let me down and I am not going to let them down now. So let's not waist any more time and get going."

She walked on, leaving Wolf no choice than to follow her. 

When they arrived at the end of the tunnel one of the workers talked to Wolf in German.

"He says, they except to break through any minute now!" he translated.

Mac tried to pick up a shovel to help but Wolf stopped her, "You might just slow them down, they know exactly what they are doing."

She leaned back against the wall, anxiously watching the progress. 

It really took only a few minutes before one of the man called out, "Wir sind durchgebrochen!"

Mac didn't need a translator to understand that they broke through. Watching as they cleared more of rock away to increase the size of the opening, her excitement and apprehension got the best of her. 

She moved closer and loudly called out, "Judson, Gabe!"

+++++

"Judson, Gabe!"

The voice came out of the dark, calling him back into reality. Judson opened his eyes, seeing the flicker of light coming from the far end of the cave. He started to realize that he was surrounded by darkness. It was cold and the book no longer gave any light. But as he allowed unconsciousness to claim him again, he realized it no longer mattered. His light came now from a different source.

++++++

Mac hardly waited until the opening was big enough to get through. She grabbed one of the lanterns and made her way into the cave. It was almost totally dark; she could see the light reflecting of the surface of the small lake. 

As she made walked along the wall, she could hear voices close behind her and Wolf von Bernstein shouting some commands in German. The cave grew a little lighter as more workers came in through the opening. 

Wolf stepped beside her, a large flashlight in his hand. While he let the beam of light shine in every direction, Mac followed it with her eyes.

"Stop!" she shouted suddenly, then grabbed his arm and directed it back to the north corner. 

The flashlight hit two bodies lying on the ground. 

Without hesitation Mac ran over to where her friends were. Again she heard some shouting in German from behind her as she felt Wolf catching up with her. Still running she let herself fall to her knees and slid to the body closest to her. She lifted the lantern so she could see his face. 

"Judson!" fear and relief were audible in her voice as she took a closer look at her friend. 

His face was pale and a small line of blood was coming from his lips, running down his jaw. His breath was wheezing and she could hear loud crackling noises coming from his chest. 

She took a frantic look at Wolf. At the same time she was pushed aside by a stranger. Before she could protest Wolf interrupted her, "its okay, this is Dr. Sitter, he volunteered for the rescue team in case we needed him!"

Mac threw him a thankful glance, then as she looked up; her eyes fell on Gabe's still form. She moved over to him, trying to brace herself for the worst. 

His breathing was shallow and hardly noticeable. She could feel the heat radiating from his body before she even touched him. Beats of sweat were visible all over his face, his curly hair wet. Inspecting the rest of his body she noticed the makeshift bandage around his left leg, now soaked with blood, some of it pooling around and underneath it. And for some strange reason his arms were tightly clasped around the book.

Just for a moment Mac sat in shock, than she took her belt off and tightened it around Gabe's leg. Knowing there was nothing else she could do; she gently stroked his head and started to talk to him.

"Gabe, it's Mac, I'm here now, you got to hang on, we get you both out of here!"

Even while talking she kept an eye on the doctor working on Judson. She watched him insert an IV line into his hand and check his vital signs. At the same time she watched two men with the Red Cross sign on their uniforms come closer. They carried a stretcher with some equipment on it. Dr. Sitter gave some instructions, than started to insert an airway into Judson's throat.

"What are you doing?" Mac's voice was full of worry.

The doctor explained to her in somewhat broken English that Judson was suffering from a hemato pneumo thorax. One of his fractured ribs had punctured his lung and they needed to help him breath until they could insert a tube into his chest cavity to release the pressure.

After the doctor had completed the procedure the men lifted Judson carefully onto the stretcher and started to carry him out.

"We have a chopper waiting outside with another doctor on board. He will take care of Judson while Dr. Sitter here will check out Gabe." Wolf explained.

Mac gave him a thankful smile, realizing that he had organized everything even before he knew her friends would be found alive. 

The doctor now turned all his attention to Gabe. He tried to remove the book from his grasp but also he was unconscious, Gabe held on tightly. Mac finally took over.

"Gabe, it's okay, you can let go now. You are safe!" she assured him.

He finally let go and she handed the book to an astonished Wolf. Again she watched the doctor do his work. Satisfied that Mac's tourniquet had stopped the bleeding he decided to not mess with the bandage at this time. He took a look at the other leg and applied a brace to stabilize it.

 Checking his vitals, he turned to Wolf, "We need to get him out of here fast. His temperature is so high; his body can't keep up with trying to cool him down. His heart can't keep this up much longer."

+++++

Half an hour later Mac and Wolf were on their way to the hospital. Between Judson, Gabe and the flight rescue team, there hadn't been enough space for either one of them to go on the same flight. But again it had proved that Wolf had thought of everything. He already had another chopper on standby. It was this one that now flew them to the University Hospital in Erlangen one of the best hospitals in Southern Germany.

When they arrived, they were lead into a waiting area. A nurse handed Mac some papers.

"Bitte fuellen sie die Papiere aus, wir brauchen Information ueber ihre Freunde!"

Mac gave her a questioning look, than said, "Sorry, I don't speak German!"

"Oh, I didn't know!" the nurse now said in English. "Would you please fill these papers out, we need some information about your friends!"

Wolf gave Mac a reassuring look, then he smiled at the nurse, "Ich werde ihr helfen, lassen sie uns wissen, wenn sie etwas Neues ueber Herrn Cross und Herrn Patterson wissen."

She left the room as Wolf explained to Mac that he just had told the nurse he would help with the papers, and she should let them know anything new about Judson and Gabe.

+++++

It seemed to take forever until a tall man dressed in green scrubs entered the area. He introduced himself as Dr. Diener, the resident on duty. His English was almost without accent

As he sat down beside Mac, he explained, that Judson was in surgery to repair his punctured lung and the broken ribs. 

"Unless there are any complications, he should be okay!"

Wolf could see Mac relax for a moment before she tensed again in anticipation what the doctor might have to say about Gabe.

He gave her a small smile before he continued, "We are not quite sure about your other friend yet, we started him on several powerful IV antibiotics and gave him a few units of blood. If the antibiotics kick in, he should be okay, but we have to give it about a day to be sure. For right now he is critical but stable."

Aware of the still dissatisfied look in her eyes, he continued, "I wish I could tell you more but as I said, we will have to wait. I promise you he is in the best hands here. We have an excellent team, which has lots of experience."

Mac took a deep breath, she looked the doctor straight in the eyes and said, "All the odd were against them and they beat them. They both will make it through the rest also!"

+++++

A while later Mac was sitting beside Gabe's bed in the Intensive Care Unit. Hospital policy allowed only one person at a time to visit. From time to time she observed his fever flushed face would squint and a moan would escape his lips. Otherwise there was no reaction from him. An IV line delivered fluids and high powered antibiotics directly into his system. Another line substituted red blood cells for the ones he had lost. Oxygen was supplied through a nasal cannula secured behind his ears.

Now that her adrenaline had subsided and the let down came, Mac could feel her back getting sore again. She knew it was nothing serious but it was sure annoying and made it difficult to sit. Slowly she got up, stretched, walked a few steps and sat back down. 

As she looked at Gabe again, she could see his eyes were open. Overclouded and having an unnatural shine, she could still spot the recognition in them. His lips parted and she could see him inaudibly mouth her name.

"Hey there sleepy head!" her voice had an unusual tenderness to it.

She leaned forward and stroked his hair while watching as his eyes closed again and his features relaxed.

Knowing he was asleep again, she got up and turned to the door.

"You just sleep, I will be back in a little while!" she assured him before she left the room. 

+++++

It was several hours before she was allowed to visit Judson. The doctor had told her that her friend had made it through the surgery without complications. He was still in serious condition but was able to breath on his own. He had also been placed in Intensive Care but would likely be able to move into a step down unit in the morning. 

Standing beside his bed, Mac watched Judsons quiet form in the bed. He also had an IV line and a nasal cannula supplying him with oxygen. The doctor had warned her that he was sedated and would not wake up for several hours yet. His usually suntanned face was way to pale. A chest tube still assisted his lung to keep expanded but his breathing was quiet and even now.

Mac felt tears running down her eyes, yet they were not tears of sadness but of relief. She couldn't even begin to acknowledge the feelings she had for him. He was her stronghold, her shelter when everything went wrong. And he was the only one able to stop her when her emotion threatened to run away with her. 

And suddenly she came to the realization that she felt more than just friendship for him. It scared her, more than any dangerous situation she had ever been in. Knowing she would not be able to deal with these feelings, she decided to bury them in the deepest darkest corner of her heart.

+++++

Wolf von Bernstein had organized two hotel rooms for them in walking distance from the Hospital. He took Mac to a small restaurant for dinner than showed her the small town of Erlangen. Even though she was still worried about her friends, Mac enjoyed the walk in the warm evening sun. 

There were many old buildings. Wolf explained the town had hardly any industry; it was mostly a university town. Mac saw the many bikers, mostly families and young people. She finally asked Wolf about it.

He explained, "Germany is big on walking and biking but Erlangen is the town with the most and best bike ways in the country." 

Now Mac noticed that the sideways were divided by a white line and ever so often there was a sign that indicated one side was walk, the other bikeway.

"Must be a nice feeling for parents, to know their kids don't have to ride on the streets!" she said.

They walked for a while longer than returned to the hotel.

+++++

Mac spent most of the night restless. She made several phone calls to the hospital, knowing that she probably would annoy the nurses. Thankfully every time she called, she got somebody who spoke at least some English. With every call she received the same answer – there was no change. Finally she decided to leave the phone number for her hotel room and was promised she would be called with any change.

It was around 3 AM that she finally allowed herself to descend into an exhausted sleep only to wake up three hours later. 

She wasn't sure what woke her but at that moment the phone rang. It was the attending physician, notifying her that Judson was awake and was asking for her. She told him she would be there in half an hour then she took a quick shower and got dressed.

+++++

Nothing much had changed since she left the hospital room yesterday, except now Judson's green eyes were open and full of live. His face had slightly more color also. He gave her a smile as she walked toward his bed.

"Hi Mac, good to see you!" his voice was hoarse and little more than a whisper but she could hear the old Judson in it. 

Than she could see the change in his eyes and before he could ask, she told him about Gabe. As she finished, she added, "Hopefully by this afternoon we will know if the antibiotics work or not."

For a moment it was quiet in the room, then they were interrupted by Wolf from Bernstein entering the room.

"I was trying to get you for breakfast but your room was empty. I didn't have to be psychic to know were I would find you. Why didn't you wake me?"

"I thought you could use the sleep." She responded, then continued, "How did you get in here anyway?"

"The nurse said Judson would be moved in a while anyway, so he would tolerate a second visitor." 

He turned to Judson, "Good to have you back! For a while it looked like this time you weren't coming back."

"I know, I didn't think we would make it but thanks to Gabe, I hung in there!"

"Gabe?" Mac gave him a questioning look.

Judson gave them an abbreviated account of what happened in the cave, including the strange light and warmth coming from the book.

"How strange, there was none of this when we got to you!" For a moment Mac considered that her friend had just imagined it but than she remembered the darkness and damp cold in the cave and realized they never would have survived without a heat source.

She wanted to ask a few more questions but looking at Judson she could see the drained look at her face. 

Knowing he would never admit it, she gave him a smile, "I think we should check on Gabe and get some breakfast. We will be back after you are settled into your new room!"

+++++

Once she had found out that there still hadn't been any improvement in the youngest team members condition, Mac spent some time on his bed side. Afterwards she went back to the hotel and had breakfast with Wolf.

They spend some time in her hotel room, looking at the book. Judson's recount of the time they spent in the cave had made them very curious. Both studied it very closely but couldn't find anything that revealed what might have caused it to radiate light or heat.

"This is really strange, it seems like a totally ordinary ancient book! Certainly I understand its value, having been handwritten by Martin Luther!" Mac mused.

"Well, I think you are wrong, there is nothing ordinary about this book!" Wolf corrected her. "Just look at the paper. After almost 500 years, it should be yellowed and brittle. But it appears like it could have been written just yesterday. And the ink looks like it is hardly dry."

"Do you think it could be a fake?"

Wolf thought for a moment before he answered, "I don't think so, even if it was, nobody had access to the hidden room for several centuries. I don't think even my father knew exactly where it was. He obviously was never able to find it and finally must have decided to just pass the search on to me. I guess I will never understand why he made it such a big secret."

The decision was made to take the book to the hospital and let Judson look at it again. Carefully they wrapped it and put it in a bag.

+++++

It was almost noon when they returned to the Intensive Care Unit. Judson had been moved to a Surgical Unit on the same floor but in the east wing of the building. As they started to head over there, the attending physician stopped them. 

"Miss Previn, could I talk to you for a moment please!"

Mac stopped and turned around. She looked at him expectantly.

"It's about Mr. Patterson. His fever is still not coming down and he is getting more and more restless. Several times we had to hold him down to make sure he wouldn't injure himself further. We finally had to restrain him."

Mac's eyes widened. Wolf could clearly see how upset she was about the news. Ignoring any further report, she stormed of, almost running into Gabe's room. Wolf followed her slowly. This time nobody tried to stop him in order to keep hospital policy up. 

+++++

As Mac entered the room, it became immediately clear what the doctor had been talking about. Gabe restlessly tossed around. His eyes were open but apparently unaware of any of his surroundings. The words coming from his lips were mumbled and not understandable. A nurse was at his side, wiping his face with a cool cloth, trying with little success to keep him still.

Resolutely Mac walked to the bed and started to take the restraints of his wrists. The nurse attempted to prevent her but after receiving a poisonous look she backed off.

"Its okay, Miss Previn is going to take care of Mr. Patterson now." Wolf assured the nurse, who quietly left the room.

Gabe seemed to sense Mac's presence. His movements became calmer and for a moment his eyes almost focused on her before they subsequently closed. But even now he didn't totally quiet down. He continued to mumble, his breath labored and uneven. 

As hard as Mac and Wolf tried, they couldn't make out any of the words. This continued for a while until Gabe's eyes suddenly opened again. He turned his head toward Mac and this time she could understand his words very clearly.

"Give me the book!" was all he said but she knew instantly that this was not a request.

Without hesitation she took it out of the bag and unwrapped it. Knowing that her friend would be too weak to lift the heavy book, she laid it on his chest.

With unbelieving eyes she watched as his arms enclosed it. She witnessed the glow coming from it, getting more intense until it finally seemed to envelope Gabe. His eyes closed and his body relaxed. There was a peaceful look on his face; it almost looked like a smile.

Both Mac and Wolf were unable to tear their eyes from what was happening in front of them. The glow vanished as fast as it had come. Gabe was no longer holding on to the book but his even breathing told them he was fast asleep. 

Mac was the first to recover. As she gently stroked some stray hair out of Gabe's face, she realized that also his skin was still moist; it no longer was it burning up. 

+++++

One hour later found them with Judson. He had started to worry and had tried to get out of bed when Mac and Wolf entered his room.

"Hey, what do you think you are doing?" 

By the frustrated look on his face Mac could clearly tell, that his attempt had been unsuccessful. She couldn't help but smile, hospitals sure weren't Judson's favorite place to be. Yet she knew that this time he would have to stay for a while.

Trying not to let on to his worries, he gave her a grumble, "Hey, nobody came, so I thought I would have to find you guys!"

Mac quickly updated him on Gabe, including the unbelievable miracle they had witnessed. 

Judson didn't seem the least bit  surprised, "You know, after all I have seen in the last few days, I t would have been more surprised if nothing would have happened. I am sure the book is what kept us alive in the first place and Gabe seemed to have a special connection to it!"

"If I wouldn't have seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed it!" Wolf said quietly, his voice face speaking louder than his words could.

"This is why we decided not to tell the doctor what actually happened." Mac added, "Nobody would believe us anyway! Everybody was puzzled but tried to explain to us that the antibiotics had finally kicked in."

+++++

It took another week before Judson was able to leave the hospital. The doctor wanted to be sure his lung was properly healed and his fractured ribs would no longer pose any danger before letting him go. At the time of his discharge he had been ready to climb the walls. Mac had grin, very few times she had seen her reserved friend so impatient.

Gabe's recovery also progressed well. His fever didn't return and after another three days the injury to his left leg was clean enough for the surgeon to repair the bone fragments with some metal plates and screws and close the wound. He would not be able to bear any weight on it for six weeks but was told that it should be okay after that. The fractures on his right lower leg had turned out to be simple and thanks to Judson quickly bringing the bones back into alignment was already starting to show signs of healing. His leg had been casted, and only because of the complicated fracture on his other leg, would he have to use a wheel chair for a while. 

The doctors where still puzzled, but after being sure the infection wasn't returning, they allowed him to leave on the same day Judson was discharged.

+++++

The next two weeks of their recovery were spend at Schloss Winterhof. Wolf von Bernstein had put up a ramp so Gabe could get in and out with his wheel chair. To accommodate their needs, he also had converted three of the smaller rooms on the lower level into bedrooms. 

The team enjoyed the atmosphere of the old castle and the attentiveness of their host, who had become a friend they would value for the rest of their lives. 

+++++

At the end of the two weeks Wolf took them to the Luther House in Wittenberg. It didn't take any discussion for all of them to agree this was where the book belonged. It had arrived at the museum several days ago and was now displayed in a glass case. 

It was early evening when they entered the house. The museum was already closed for the evening but due to having donated the book the team and Wolf had been able to make special arrangements. 

As the came closer to the display they stopped right in front of it. In the bottom of the case was a small sign with the words  

                                         '_The key to heaven is God's word_'

 It was opened to the page that Judson had found that night in the cave.

                                        _'God is light, and in Him is no darkness'_

Lost in memories of the last few books they looked at each other in astonishment. And suddenly, just for a moment a faint glow appeared from it and vanished. 

And as they realized that the mystery of the book might never be solved, they understood also the privilege they had to experience it.

The End


End file.
